Chapter 413: Mysterious Copper Fragment and an Unexpected Visitor
"Help you three times?"
As Mo Yu's words fell, the Iron Sword Venerable furrowed his brow, his rigid face showing a hint of contemplation.
On the Dou Qi continent, the eight ancient clans were bound by certain rules, preventing them from freely interfering in worldly matters. Therefore, Dou Zun experts were considered the most powerful figures across the land. Getting a Dou Zun expert to act on someone's behalf typically required an enormous price, and even then, success wasn't guaranteed.
For a young man, barely in his twenties, to ask a Dou Zun expert to help him three times made even the Iron Sword Venerable pause.
This boy had quite the appetite.
"Heh, elder, since I dared to ask, it means I'm confident I can repair your Heavy Sword. A fully restored weapon in exchange for your help three times is a fair trade, don't you think? Moreover, I assure you that I won't ask you to face enemies far stronger than yourself. How about that?" Mo Yu explained.
The Iron Sword Venerable's rigid face remained unchanged as he continued to stroke the crack in his Heavy Sword. After a moment of thought, he shook his head slightly.
Mo Yu was momentarily taken aback, feeling a bit anxious. Just as he thought the Iron Sword Venerable might reject his offer, the elder suddenly raised two fingers and said slowly, "Twice. I will help you twice. Both times, I will do my best, but whether I succeed will depend on the circumstances."
"Deal!"
Hearing this, Mo Yu was momentarily surprised, but then he quickly nodded decisively.
In truth, Mo Yu's bottom line was getting the Iron Sword Venerable to help him once. Now that he had secured his help twice, it was an even better deal than he had expected.
After all, the Iron Sword Venerable was a Dou Zun expert, on par with the likes of the Myriad Sword Pavilion's master or the Golden Warhorse Clan's patriarch. If the Iron Sword Venerable weren't a solitary figure with no attachments, he probably wouldn't have agreed at all.
"Since we have a deal, I'll leave the Heavy Sword in your hands. I'll be staying at the Tianmei Inn in the center of Ten Thousand Weapons City for the time being. Once the sword is repaired, come find me. As for the Bloody Demon Meteorite Crystal, consider it collateral. If you repair the sword, I'll uphold my promise to help you twice," the Iron Sword Venerable said, his tone resolute.
After finishing his words, the Iron Sword Venerable reluctantly handed the Heavy Sword and Bloody Demon Meteorite Crystal to Mo Yu, gave him a deep look, and then turned and left.
Watching the elder's decisive departure, Mo Yu was slightly stunned and then shook his head with a bitter smile.
This old man was certainly peculiar—entrusting such valuable items to him so easily, without any worry that Mo Yu might run off with them.
Of course, Mo Yu had no intention of doing something so foolish.
The Iron Sword Venerable clearly wasn't worried about Mo Yu fleeing with the sword. After all, running off with a broken sword and a Bloody Demon Meteorite Crystal would only earn the pursuit of a Dou Zun expert, and only an idiot would risk that.
Looking at the Bloody Demon Meteorite Crystal and the damaged Heavy Sword in his hands, Mo Yu smiled faintly. With the crystal in hand, he now had the crucial material he needed to repair and upgrade the Divine Might Black Thunder Spear.
As for the Heavy Sword, it needed to be repaired as soon as possible.
Mo Yu, with his knowledge of the original story, understood that the Iron Sword Venerable was a man who repaid his debts and kept his promises. Gaining his favor would be invaluable.
"Junior brother, are you sure you can repair that sword?" Lan Yingying and Feng Mu, who had been standing by, asked, concerned.
Repairing such a sword was clearly no easy task; otherwise, a Dou Zun expert wouldn't have been so troubled by it. Failing to repair it could not only waste Mo Yu's efforts but also anger the rigid elder.
Mo Yu smiled confidently. "Don't worry, I can handle it."
With that, Mo Yu carefully stored the Bloody Demon Meteorite Crystal and the broken Heavy Sword. Glancing around, he said, "I still need some materials to repair the sword and for the upcoming blacksmithing tournament in three days. Let's see if we can find them here on the third floor."
He then started walking deeper into the third floor.
Lan Yingying and Feng Mu exchanged skeptical glances but followed closely behind.
On the top floor, paved with warm jade, the number of people was extremely sparse—only about a few dozen in total. But Mo Yu knew that each one of them was either a powerful expert or a master blacksmith, capable of stirring the outside world with just their presence.
After encountering the Iron Sword Venerable, Mo Yu was no longer surprised. Before long, the trio arrived at a larger jade platform.
Scattered across the platform were various materials, herbs, scrolls, and even pills, all of which looked to be extraordinary.
A small crowd had gathered around the platform, clearly intrigued by the items on display.
"Heh, if any of you are looking for something, feel free to ask. I just might have it," the black-robed elder behind the counter said with a smile as new customers arrived.
Mo Yu glanced at the badge on the elder's chest—a seventh-tier badge, but only mid-level. This man was clearly a mid-level seventh-tier blacksmith, though it seemed he wasn't affiliated with the Weapon Alliance.
After a moment of thought, Mo Yu nodded. "I need two materials: a piece of Ten Thousand-Year Green Spirit Wood and some Snowbone Rock."
"Ten Thousand-Year Green Spirit Wood and Snowbone Rock?" The black-robed elder repeated the names, pondering for a moment. "Both are quite rare materials, likely intended for crafting high-tier weapons. You're in luck, though—I happen to have both a piece of Green Spirit Wood and some Snowbone Rock."
"Oh?" Mo Yu's eyes lit up. He hadn't expected that casually asking would actually yield the materials he needed.
With these two main materials, Mo Yu was confident he could repair the damaged Heavy Sword. Once it was restored, the Iron Sword Venerable's favor could be put to good use. If Mo Yu's identity were exposed, the protection of the Iron Sword Venerable and Old Bing would greatly increase his safety.
"Here they are—Snowbone Rock and Ten Thousand-Year Green Spirit Wood. But be prepared, both are quite expensive," the black-robed elder said, taking out two jade boxes.
Inside the left box was a pure white rock that looked like a piece of bone, while the right box contained a piece of jade-green wood, radiating a strong life force.
Mo Yu carefully examined the contents of the boxes, and after a moment, he nodded. The materials were indeed the real deal.
The elder noticed Mo Yu's careful gaze and reassured him, "Don't worry, young man. I may not be part of the Weapon Alliance, but I don't sell fake goods."
Mo Yu remained silent, his eyes sweeping over the platform's contents as if evaluating everything on display. After a moment, he said, "How much for the Snowbone Rock and Green Spirit Wood?"
The black-robed elder smiled faintly. "One high-tier seventh-grade weapon for both."
Mo Yu frowned. A high-tier seventh-grade weapon was no small demand.
"Sir, while Snowbone Rock and Green Spirit Wood are rare, they're only supplementary materials for crafting high-tier weapons. Asking for a high-tier seventh-grade weapon just for these two materials is a bit much, don't you think?" Feng Mu interjected, his brow furrowing.
Even their master, a high-level seventh-grade blacksmith, rarely crafted such weapons. The black-robed elder's price was indeed steep.
The elder smirked, clearly anticipating their reaction. "Alright, how about a mid-tier seventh-grade weapon?"
Mo Yu nodded slightly. A mid-tier seventh-grade weapon was something he could accept.
However, he didn't immediately agree. Instead, his eyes slowly scanned the platform again, taking note of the various high-quality items for sale.
As his gaze swept the platform, he suddenly paused, spotting a dull yellow copper fragment tucked away in a corner. The fragment was covered in patches of green rust, and upon closer inspection, faint, unusual patterns could be seen on its surface.
Among all the polished and impressive items on display, this copper fragment looked like nothing more than junk.
But something about its extreme ordinariness struck Mo Yu as odd. The more he examined it, the more peculiar it seemed.
His gaze lingered on the copper fragment for a moment before moving on, pretending to be interested in other items. After a while, he casually picked up the copper fragment as if it were just another item on the table.
The moment he touched the fragment, a faint chill spread through his hand. This wasn't because the copper was special, but because it had been sitting in a cold environment for a long time.
"Sir, that copper fragment is an ancient artifact. It's actually more valuable than the Snowbone Rock and Green Spirit Wood," the black-robed elder remarked casually, noticing Mo Yu's interest.
As soon as the elder spoke, several curious glances from nearby traders fell on the copper fragment in Mo Yu's hand.
Anything labeled as "ancient" was bound to catch people's attention, even if it didn't look like much. Many onlookers, however, found it hard to believe that such a plain-looking fragment could be something ancient.
Even Feng Mu and Lan Yingying crowded around, curiously inspecting the fragment but finding nothing special about it.
Mo Yu, however, raised an eyebrow. A thought flickered in his mind, and he began to suspect where this fragment came from.
"And how much would you want for this copper fragment?" Mo Yu asked, then quickly added with a smile, "And don't try to overcharge. I'm just a bit curious about it. If you try to swindle me, our teacher might have some words for you."
"Who is your teacher?" The black-robed elder's brow furrowed.
"Our teacher is Master Bing Li," Lan Yingying replied with a sweet smile.
As soon as she spoke, everyone around them turned to look at the trio.
Bing Li, a high-level seventh-tier blacksmith, was rumored to be on the verge of breaking through to the eighth tier. His reputation was well-known in both the Weapon Alliance and across the Central Plains.
The black-robed elder's expression changed slightly. Although he was a mid-level seventh-tier blacksmith, he was still far below someone like Bing Li, who might soon reach the eighth tier.
"In that case, I'll offer a better deal—two mid-tier seventh-grade weapons for the Green Spirit Wood, Snowbone Rock, and the copper fragment," the elder said, his tone softening.
Feng Mu and Lan Yingying were still dissatisfied, ready to argue, but Mo Yu waved them off.
"Two mid-tier seventh-grade weapons, huh? I can manage that," Mo Yu said, nodding.
With a flick of his hand, a white scroll appeared, which he gently placed on the platform. "I don't have two mid-tier weapons with me, but I do have a blueprint for a low-tier seventh-grade weapon called the Su Xin Mirror. This should be worth as much as the materials and the copper fragment, don't you think?"
The Su Xin Mirror was a valuable auxiliary weapon, especially for blacksmiths, who often used it to keep their minds clear while working on their craft. For a blacksmith, having such a tool was extremely beneficial.
The elder's eyes lit up immediately as he eagerly snatched up the white scroll.
Weapon blueprints were highly coveted treasures among blacksmiths, and most wouldn't part with them unless it was for an important trade.
Even Feng Mu and Lan Yingying were wide-eyed in surprise. Not even their teacher would have given away something so valuable.
It seemed Mo Yu had more secrets than they had realized.
"Heh, not bad! You're very generous, young man. Deal!" The elder, after verifying the blueprint's authenticity, happily put it away.
Mo Yu smiled. He quickly stored the Snowbone Rock and Green Spirit Wood in his beast ring before reaching out to grab the copper fragment.
But just as Mo Yu's hand was about to touch the fragment, a black snake-shaped sword suddenly appeared, striking the fragment with a sharp "clink." At the same time, a calm voice echoed through the room.
"Heh, friend, I've taken a liking to that copper fragment as well. Mind letting me have it?"
(End of the chapter)
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